Donation of 7,000 milk cartons, along with tips from Local Farmers, the two-time Team Challenge winners

A brawny crew of Organic Valley's Washington farmers, two-time champions of the Seafair Milk Carton Derby Team Challenge, is making 7,000 cardboard milk cartons and its championship experience available to this year's derby participants. The annual Milk Carton Derby Team Challenge race, which will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009, on Green Lake, provides an opportunity for the DIY crowd to show off their creativity and nautical engineering skills while paddling their vessel with the rest of the milk carton flotilla.

Beginning today, thousands of milk cartons, donated by the Washington farmers of Organic Valley, are available on a first come first serve basis at the Seafair office, located at 2200 6th Ave., Ste. 400, Seattle. Registered participants still in need of free milk cartons can schedule a time to pick up a load of up to 250 cartons by calling 206-728-0123.

"There are a few things that are important to keep in mind in designing your milk carton skiff," says Andrew Dykstra, a Washington dairy farmer and captain of Organic Valley's two-time Team Challenge winning crew. "Each half-gallon carton will support four pounds, and you want to add additional cartons to account for waves or wind. Also, tape is better than staples for building up the sides of the raft or platform, as it provides better water-tight seals. Last, and most critically, have fun and be creative!"

Organic Valley farmers will be on hand at the Team Challenge Race to provide engineering advice to teams, which are required to construct their milk carton crafts in the 45 minutes allotted pre-race. Additional design guidelines and construction ideas can be found on the Seafair website (www.seafair.com) under the Milk Carton Derby tab.

Organic Valley Family of Farms: Independent and Farmer-Owned

Organic Valley is America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation’s leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents 1,332 farmers in 32 states and one Canadian province, and achieved $527 million in 2008 sales. Focused on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley produces a variety of organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice, which are sold in supermarkets, natural foods stores and food cooperatives nationwide. The same farmers who produce for Organic Valley also produce a full range of delicious organic meat under the Organic Prairie Family of Farms label. For further information, call 1-888-444-MILK or visit www.organicvalley.coop, www.organicprairie.coop and the cooperative’s farmer website, www.farmers.coop. Organic Valley is also on Twitter, www.twitter.com/organicvalley and Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Organic-Valley/20674850824.